Plain-English translation of NCT04672551 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated · Translation generated · How we translate trials
This study doesn't follow the usual testing phases — it may be an observational study or a different type of research.
This trial is testing EMDR—a therapy that uses guided eye movements while you process traumatic memories—to help people who developed PTSD (post-traumatic stress) after a heart attack. Many people have lingering anxiety and fear after a cardiac event, and this study wants to see if EMDR can reduce those symptoms more effectively than waiting to receive treatment.
After a heart attack, some people develop trauma symptoms that are different from traditional PTSD—their anxiety stays focused on physical sensations and their heart, creating a cycle of fear and worry. There is very little research on whether talking therapies like this treatment work for heart attack survivors, so researchers want to test it in a rigorous way.
You likely qualify if…
You likely don't qualify if…
If you are selected, you will be randomly placed in one of two groups: either you will receive 8 individual EMDR therapy sessions (one hour each, spread over 8 weeks) with a trained therapist, or you will be placed on a waitlist for 36 weeks and offered the therapy afterward. The therapy sessions follow a structured 8-phase protocol designed specifically for processing the trauma of your heart attack while managing the physical anxiety symptoms that often follow.
AI-generated summary from trial data · Jun 2, 2026 · Not medical advice
Switzerland